Water ski signal rope



1961 M. T. REINHARDT, JR, El Al. 2,994,861

WATER SKI SIGNAL ROPE Filed July 50, 1958 INVEN TOR. Malcolm 7i Reinhardt-.4 Joe B. McE/murray. BY

ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 2,994,861 WATER SKI SIGNAL ROPE Malcolm T. Reinhardt, Jr., 2104 48th St., Lubbock, and

Joe B. McElmurray, Nolan, Tex.; said McElmun-ay ass'gnor to Sam H. Allred, Lubbock, Tex.

Filed July 30, 1958, Ser. No. 751,947 1 Claim. (Cl. 340326).

This invention relates to a device for attachment to a motor boat or the like whereby the signal may be used by a water skier to signal the operator of the boat.

Heretofore, an operator of a motor boat to which a skiing rope was attached, would very often turn to watch the skier and thereby take his eyes from the direction of travel of the boat and, consequently, there would be likelihood of collision with other boats or skiers, or even swimmers, who would be in the line of travel of the boat.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a mechanical and electrical apparatus to be used as a signal between the water skier and the boat operator.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide the ski-rope with electric wiring enclosed therein and having a push button switch mounted in the handle of the tow rope; to provide the boat with a battery and a signal device mounted in the boat so that should the skier desire the boat to stop, he may so indicate by pushing the button on the handle of the tow rope to indicate a signal on the dash of the boat so that the operator will either hear or see the same without danger of colliding with what is in front of him; and to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

The figure is a diagrammatical plan view of our water ski signal rope shown attached to a boat and the signal device in place therein.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a boat illustrated in dotted lines having a bracket 2 on the rear or aft portion thereof 3 to which a ski rope 4 is attached having branch lines 5 and 6 to which a handle 7 is attached for the skier indicated at 8 to grasp by his hands to be towed by the boat.

A battery 9 is shown mounted on the aft of the boat although it may be located elsewhere on the boat if desired and signalling mechanism 10 and 11 mounted on the dash 12 of the boat. 10 illustrates an electric light and 11 a buzzer or hell. Connected to one side 13 of 2,994,861 Patented Aug. 1, 1961 a battery is an electric line 14 and to the other side 15 is a line 16. The line 14 leads through the rope 4 and branch 6 to a terminal 17 in the handle 7. The line 16 leads to the light and buzzer 10 and 11, and a line 18 is also connected to the light and buzzer 10 and 11 and leads through the rope 4, branch line 6 and is connected to a terminal 19. A push button, either normally on or off, 20 is provided in the handle 7 to control the circuit between the terminals 17 and 19.

As the apparatus is shown, the circuit is open between the lines 14 and 18 and when the skier desires to signal the operator of the boat, the push button 20 is operated to close the circuit with lines 14 and 18 thereby lighting the signal 10 and also the buzzer or bell 18 so that the operator of the boat will know the skier either desires to stop or signal some direction to him.

It will be obvious that other forms of the circuit may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention. The light only may be utilized by disconnecting the buzzer or hell 18 or vice versa. It may be desirable to use both the bell and the light, or either one could be used by disconnecting one or the other from the circuit.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Apparatus for reducing the danger incident to water skiing comprising, a power boat of the type adapted to be controlled by a person located therein and having a dashboard, a ski rope secured to said boat, a handle secured to said rope, said handle containing an electrical circuit control device, electrical cables contained in said rope and extending into said handle and terminating at one end thereof in said control device and at the other end thereof in said boat, an electrical power source contained in said boat, an auditory signalling device contained in said boat, a visual signalling device contained in said dashboard, said electrical cables connecting said signalling devices with said power source and electrical circuit control device whereby a water skier may conveniently signal the boat controlling person while skiing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,060,806 Hunt Nov. 17, 1936 2,449,532 Leydorf Sept. 14, 1948 2,601,545 Miller June 24, 1952 2,776,443 Howard Jan. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,133,171 France Oct. 20, 1955 

